Federal Colonial farmhouse renovation in beautiful Vermont

Lighting Design

Selecting and placing the appropriate light fixtures in a space is one of my favorite things to design. Lighting plays such a crucial role on how a room looks and feels, and how we experience a space. There are so many factors go into designing lighting layouts and selecting the right fixtures other than just budget and style. The right wattage (light output); quality of light (LED vs halogen vs fluorescent) dimensions; and installation methods all need to be considered.

I was able to design the lighting with a blank slate for the house. I had only three prerequisites in place: the metal finish on all the fixtures shall be Oil Rubbed Bronze for a consistent finish; absolutely no fluorescent bulbs; and all fixtures shall work with the rustic/farmhouse aesthetic while providing an eclectic selection.

Below are images of selections and brief description on design intent.

Colonial lantern for either side of front doorSimple, exposed Edison bulb fixture for Living Room. These fixtures (6 of them) do not compete with the rustic beams exposed in the ceiling.Simple, elegant light with decorative Edison bulb and clear glass round bowl for all hallway lighting.Rustic colonial candle style for Dining Room wall sconces.Consideration for Kitchen surface mounted light.Consideration for lighting over island. Scale plays major role – island is 96 inches long, these 5 fixtures are 54″ long, from 1 junction box in the ceiling.

We are looking for the exposed Edison bulb fixture described above as “Simple, exposed Edison bulb fixture for Living Room. These fixtures (6 of them) do not compete with the rustic beams exposed in the ceiling.” Can you share the manufacturer/model? Thank you.

History

In the fall of 2013 we embarked on a joint family venture of owning a rural antique colonial in Vermont as a family get away and vacation home. After looking at only 3 other homes we all agreed that this house had the most potential and truly was a diamond in the rough.

The house has so much history and character. It is a classic Federal-style Farmhouse Colonial, built by hand with traditional post and beam construction in 1786. It once served as an inn and a tavern. A back addition was added in the early 1800's and was the community's meeting house for many years. We are only the 3rd family to own this house in over 225 years.

The house was vacant since 2006 and had not been updated in over 30 years. That did not deter us and we felt that with all of our joint effort and skills we could not pass this opportunity up.

In the months since, we have completed some major renovations and the work keeps continuing. This blog is intended as a journal of our progress and outcomes. I hope you enjoy it.